


To Know Another

by ScarfyTheShipster



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Canon Death Mention, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Ikesoren - Freeform, Intimacy, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Senerio | Soren-centric, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29889711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarfyTheShipster/pseuds/ScarfyTheShipster
Summary: Soren was prone to overthinking and mentally pacing.What was it, genuinely, to know someone? Was it knowing their favorite breakfast, their usual habits, or perhaps their infectious turns of phrase that spread through their social circle? Maybe it was deeper. Was it knowing their beliefs, why they wake up in the morning and choose to face another day, and what they would give anything for? Was it some mix, the outside person mixed with the one within for one complete sense of a soul?Was it even possible to comprehend another person in such a manner, or was all the world cursed to be isolated like lights in a fog, visible yet never clear, will o-the-wisps luring others closer but never to the full truth?A voice drew Soren out of his thoughts.“I didn’t realize you were still awake.”
Relationships: Ike & Senerio | Soren, Ike/Senerio | Soren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	To Know Another

Soren was prone to overthinking and mentally pacing.

What was it, genuinely, to know someone? Was it knowing their favorite breakfast, their usual habits, or perhaps their infectious turns of phrase that spread through their social circle? Maybe it was deeper. Was it knowing their beliefs, why they wake up in the morning and choose to face another day, and what they would give anything for? Was it some mix, the outside person mixed with the one within for one complete sense of a soul?

Was it even possible to comprehend another person in such a manner, or was all the world cursed to be isolated like lights in a fog, visible yet never clear, will o-the-wisps luring others closer but never to the full truth?

A voice drew Soren out of his thoughts.

“I didn’t realize you were still awake.”

Hushed, low, like the dim moonlight against the bright canvas fabric of their tent, barely disturbing the night. Soren blinked, his ear twitching with surprise at Ike’s whisper from inches away. 

“It’s more surprising to me that you’re awake,” he murmured back. Anyone who knew Ike would be, with how he slept even in the day. Soren turned his head towards Ike, black hair fanned out on the large shared pillow under his head. “Did I wake you?”

“Hm? Nah.” Ike yawned. He rolled halfway over to face Soren, accidentally taking some of their shared blankets with him on their bedding as his foot caught itself in a tangle of them. “Ah, sorry.” Ike busied himself with covering them both as the silence stretched on, Soren still lost in thought. It wasn’t new to either of them, although Ike doubted Soren knew how obvious it was when he was distracted and retreated inside himself. Ike gently laid his hand on Soren’s side, watching his face for any sign of discomfort at the touch. “Nightmare?”

“No, actually. I haven’t slept at all.”

Ike slid his hand down to Soren’s back, dipping with the natural curve of his spine. Soren sighed and felt as though he’d physically exhaled tension with the relief that seeped through him. Just a touch in the right spot, and sleep was already tempting his musing mind to forget its troubles. “You know something, Ike?”

“What?” Ike continued to idly rub Soren’s back, a revolving source of warmth and grounding calm. 

“You’ve changed over the years.”

“We all have.”

Soren hmmed. “I mean in a specific way. At the time, I wouldn’t have been able to explain it. The day after Greil died…” It was Soren’s turn to check Ike’s expression for any sign of a boundary crossed. Even in the cool hues of night, Ike’s face was more familiar to him than even his own. Ike nodded, almost imperceptibly. “You got dressed the next morning with a certain way about you. You were never chatty before, but you woke each day with a steeled sense of purpose. Nobody bothered you when you put on your armor or sharpened your blade that day, and nowadays you still look that way. Every morning, three years later.”

Ike blinked a few times, pondering. “Is that bad?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Soren stared into space, eyes resting on Ike’s collarbone. “It’s just that I noticed you grew from that agonizing experience, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. How you feel about it. It’s… that I can see you, but I don’t know you.”

“Yes you do.” Ike’s mouth twitched up in what might’ve become a smile if he was more awake. “Nobody can read minds, Soren. Besides, you can just ask me.” Soren’s brow barely creased, as though it was an error on his part to have to ask. “Hey, just because you aren’t me doesn’t mean we aren’t close. Remember how you noticed my left eye twitches, and I don’t even notice that?”

“Hm.” Soren’s eyes closed. His muscles relaxed under Ike’s palm, and his breathing slowed. Opening up to anyone, even Ike, felt like a process. “If someone handed you a plate of meat, you’d eat the bacon first, even though your very favorite is spicy meat. I couldn’t explain why, though.”

Ike laughed with just one breath, deep and low from the bottom of his chest. “Can’t taste much else after I have something spicy.”

“That’s why?”

“That’s why. See, you know me even better now.” Ike changed from stroking Soren’s back to gently scratching in a circle. “I know you too, you know.”

Soren blearily opened his eyes. “Obviously. We’re in bed together.”

“Oh, come on. I mean, I can’t explain everything about you, even though I see it.” Ike trusted his hands more than his words, his actions and sword arm more than his delicate tact, but this was Soren. They preferred it this way, all out in the open. He was blunt, for better or worse, though he thankfully didn’t swing his words as hard as Soren sometimes did. “I’ve said it before, that you’re a big softie.”

“Not fair. You only say that when I’m cuddling you. You forget what I’m like outside.”

“You’re still soft.”

“No.” Soren’s tone was light, barely teasing. “I’m mean and insensitive, I hate everything, ask anyone.”

“You can be harsh. Sometimes I need to hear that.” Ike ceased his movement and instead pulled Soren closer, sealing the minute gap between them. Soren fit into Ike’s arms and against his body perfectly, head tucked under Ike’s chin. “But you aren’t insensitive. You can seem like it, but you’re really sensitive. You see all these things about everyone else, and you take it all in like you’re looking through a window, but we can see you too, you know.”

Soren tensed. “I’m suspicious about this sudden hug.”

“It’s nothing bad. Look, I think you know other people can see you, and that’s why it’s so hard to talk to them like this. It’s hard for anybody.” Ike propped himself up on his elbow, other arm lazily around Soren. “I know my father’s death changed me. It’s still rough knowing that all that stuff inside me is visible to anybody else. We think we know all the cards we show to other people, but we don’t. It’s… okay. Is this what’s been bothering you?”

“Sort of.” It sounded childish, pointless. He couldn’t believe he was going to say it aloud. “I feel so far away from everyone.” Soren’s legs were tangled with Ike’s and their shared warmth filled him to his core, yet his quiet, desperate words spoke of a heart left in a permafrost wasteland, an arm’s length away from everyone. “How do I ever get closer? How could I ever talk to anyone else like this but you? How do you go out and befriend people when you’ve been wounded and weathered by this world too? You’re no fool, yet you manage to do it.”

Ike fell silent. Soren already felt guilt eat away at his insides for burdening his emotional needs, again, on one person. Every time, it snuck up on him, boiling over in a flash. Soren trembled, a soft noise of confusion escaping his throat as Ike reached out to stroke his face, thumb caressing his cheekbone.

It was moist with a tear.

“Soren.” Ike brought Soren in for a real hug, both arms holding Soren securely. Soren never seemed aware of when he started crying, but once he realized it he bitterly fought to make it stop. “Shh.”

“I hate it, I hate it when you see me like this!” Soren’s body shook with tremors, at war with itself as a sob forced its way out of his throat even as he choked, trying to slam it back down.

Ike raised his head, eyes fixed on the supports of their tent, away from Soren’s dark hair. “I can’t see you. I swear it.” From anyone else, it would’ve sounded sarcastic, but Ike was straightforward. Moments stretched to minutes, and Ike let Soren wring himself out until he was exhausted, going limp in his arms. 

“It’ll feel like this.” Ike pet Soren’s hair, combing through it with affectionate sweeps. “It’ll be scary, and terrible, and like you’re giving the other person a chance to run you through with whatever weapon they’ve got. But if it’s the right person? They won’t.”

Soren was quiet. Even after breaking down, Ike’s support, warmth, love, was all encompassing. As it always had been. And Ike was meaning to say, as it always would be. Soren breathed hard, sniffing once. “I can’t… do it. I wouldn’t cry on anyone else, but to just be honest, and unguarded. I don’t think so, Ike…”

“Not yet.” Ike planted a kiss on the top of Soren’s head. “You seem to get along really well with Mist and Titania. Even with Ranulf. I think you trust them.”

“Hmmm. Not quite.” Soren frowned. “I don’t have a reason to distrust people you call your family either. Logically, I know that by now, I’ve observed them for years. My comfort around them comes in too tiny of steps. I’m frustrated with myself, with all that’s unknown to me.” Soren was finally winding down from his emotional overload, ready to sleep at last. He yawned, fully resting against Ike. “I’m… difficult. Sorry, Ike.”

“Plenty of people would say the same about me.”

Comfortable silence stretched on until Ike roused Soren from a shallow daze. “Soren.”

“Hm?”

“It’s okay if it takes you awhile. Even if they don’t all understand or know the details, they’re your family too.

Family doesn’t mind waiting.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You can find me on tumblr at flatescardos


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